Google to enterprises: Ditch your Microsoft contract early for us

Blair Hanley Frank |
Oct. 20, 2015

New programme lets businesses use its productivity suite for free while under contract to another company.

In keeping with Google's fairly hands-off approach to technical support, the company offers a small amount of assistance to companies making a move and then suggests businesses work with its network of partners to get more help in that regard. It also has a network of customers who can share information about the Apps transition, but companies shouldn't expect a high-touch service provided directly from the company to help get users on board with a new way of doing things.

On the flip side, Rao pointed out that the consumer popularity of Google's products could help it win over customers without having to provide assistance.

"We are in a unique position, in that our consumer usage inheritance makes this actually better for us," he said. "Because we're talking about the same tools that people are using in their personal lives: Gmail and Drive and Docs. And so when they come into work, it's the same tools."

Even if companies aren't sold on the idea that switching software will magically make their users more productive, Google also estimates that Apps for Work will be up to 70 percent cheaper for businesses that switch over. That cost reduction might be enough to get businesses that would otherwise be Office die-hards to switch over.

It remains to be seen what this offer will do for Apps for Work's adoption. Right now, Google has 600 companies worldwide each paying for more than 10,000 people to use Apps for Work, and more than 60 percent of the Fortune 500 companies have at least some people within them paying for the business edition of Google Apps.